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Healthy Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Cauliflower

Sophia Martinez
Lean ground beef in a rich gravy with carrots and peas, topped with golden mashed cauliflower. 35g protein — 50 minutes, one dish.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

  • A large deep frying pan for browning the beef and making the filling
  • A large pot for boiling the cauliflower
  • A 9x13 inch baking dish for assembling and baking the pie

Ingredients
  

  • 600 g lean ground beef 5% fat
  • 1 large cauliflower about 800g, cut into florets
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup beef stock low sodium
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put the cauliflower in a large pot of salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 10–12 minutes until very tender. Drain well.
  • Mash the cauliflower with the butter, milk and half of the cheddar, plus salt and pepper, until smooth and creamy.
  • While the cauliflower cooks, heat the olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5–6 minutes until no pink remains.
  • Add the onion, carrots and garlic to the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and rosemary, then pour in the beef stock and peas. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the filling has thickened.
  • Spoon the beef filling into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with the cauliflower mash, rough up the surface with a fork and scatter over the remaining cheddar.
  • Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Drain cauliflower well before mashing; rough up the topping with a fork for crisp ridges. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Keyword cauliflower mash, dinner, ground beef, high protein, shepherd's pie